The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will
hold public meetings to share its recommendations for narrowing the
two options for rebuilding the Interstate 70/71 Split along the
south side of downtown Columbus.

For the past six months, the Department has been
comparing two alternatives -- Mound/Fulton and Livingston/Fulton
-- to determine which option does a better job of improving safety and
travel with fewer negative impacts to the public. Both alternatives
untangle the I-70/71 overlap, consolidate ramps to improve safety, and
add lanes to accommodate traffic growth. However, the alternatives
differ in how they tie the freeway into the city street network.

ODOT analysis shows that the Mound/Fulton
alternative does the most efficient job of
improving safety and travel, and has the least negative environmental
impact. In addition, an independent city of Columbus study showed it
also offers the greatest opportunity for economic development.

On the south side of the freeway, ODOT has
proposed reconstructing one-way city streets parallel to the freeway
to serve east and west traffic into and out of downtown. On the east
side along I-71, one-way city streets would be built parallel to the
freeway using portions of Parsons and Lester.

ODOT considers the highway one of the most
congested, high-crash freeway locations in the state. It was built
more than 40 years ago, and carries about 175,000 vehicles a day
about 50,000 more than the highway was designed to handle. As a
result, the highway experiences about two crashes each day or 800 a
year.

WHO:

ODOT representatives, as well as consultants
working with the Department to develop solutions, will be on hand to
answer questions and record public comments.

WHEN & WHERE:

June 11 and 13Open House from 5 to 7 p.m.
Columbus Health Department Auditorium
240 Parsons Avenue (corner of Parsons and Main)
Free parking in rear